Love or die
by Garota Inu
Summary: Inu Taishou knew Sesshoumaru was evil and didn't want for his son to spend his life in darkness. So he wished upon a star that, if Sesshoumaru didn't find himself a mate that he loved until the day of his 1000th birthday, he would die. He found one: Kagome. But he is still too dark to admit it. Now, she will have to go back in time AGAIN to make the Ice Lord fall for her. Again.
1. There and back again

**LOVE OR DIE**

**(Garota Inu)**

**Prologue: ****THERE AND BACK AGAIN****.**

_Run Run Run!_

Kagome ran through the forest with the fastest speed her human legs could summon. The monster chasing her was reason enough for her to do so.

_Fast Fast Fast!_

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?", she screamed in terror, seriously wanting to know why. The youkai suddenly attacking her and then chasing her down without saying any words of why, without demanding anything.

It made no sense.

Kagome grunted. Tears pooling on her eyes as she gripped her side when it started to burn from the violent effort. She didn't know how much longer she could run, but she still did. For her love she still ran – even faster – cursing all the spirits she knew, specially that general…

Ohh, that Dog General… Pig!

How could he do such thing to his own son? Wishing on a star for his son's death; how could a father do this? _'This is crazy!'_, she thought. But she couldn't say she didn't understand his reasons. Inu no Taishou feared for the humans and wanted to be sure of their survival. So, as his dying wish, he wished on a star that, if Sesshoumaru doesn't find himself a mate who he could truly love until the day of his 1000th birthday he would die, for the world would never be safe with a taiyoukai like Sesshoumaru. Incapable of love. Kagome agreed with that until she fell in love with him and was okay with that because she could tell he loved her back…

The problem was that he never _said_ it.

Cassiopeia, the star Lord Inu wished on, said that if Sesshoumaru couldn't bring himself to do something as simple as to say it, to put his pride aside for love... Then he didn't love enough to be alive.

"What about Rin?", she asked the star when they first met; when her feelings for Sesshoumaru weren't more than a crush in analysis. "He clearly loves her as he would his daughter."

"Agreed. But one _child_ is not enough to change the vision he has of humanity. The girl is merely an exception he found."

"But why _me_?"

She remembered the star smiling an one-sided smile and shrugging as she answered "Who else would have the heart to love a monster that hasn't got one?"

It was during a battle she was assisting him with that she decided to help him to stay alive. She'd try to love him and make him love her back. And well, she did. But not enough.

Now, there she was: running for _his_ life.

_Faster Faster Faster!_

The moment Kagome broke in a clearing, a blinding, greenish light exploded around her and she fell; the grass and pebbles scratching her arms, legs and face. But, really that was her smallest problem right now. A cold, big hand grabbed her wrist and brought her up and off the ground, forcing her to face the enemy. But darkness beat him to it, claiming her consciousness first.

It was the first time Kagome ever felt happy about fainting.

The first thing she registered was the feeling of waking from a two-week sleep. She didn't feel refreshed or full of energy; it just happens when you take a little nap. The longer you sleep the heavier you feel when you wake up. Kagome was sure she didn't sleep for weeks – or even half an hour –, but she sure felt like she did. Her arms weighted like trees and it felt like someone was sitting on her torso. She opened her eyes and her heart nearly stopped when she realized the one lying on top of her was Sesshoumaru, but she sighed when she saw he was unconscious.

Unconscious! Kagome was sitting in a second, holding Sesshoumaru's upper half in her arms. "Sesshoumaru? Sesshoumaru, wake up!" He was all sweat, his bangs were glued to his skin, but his body felt cold to the touch. "You can't! It's not even midnight, Sesshoumaru, come on!"

A giggle brought her back from despair and she turned her head to see Cassiopeia sitting on a large rock doing nothing. Rage took over in a blink. "You! Where were you?"

The star raised her hands as if surrendering. "Easy, child, easy… You are not like this." That's right, she was not. But the man she loved was dying, so she thought she could lose it a little.

"Save. Him!" She growled. Seconds were precious and that star-girl was wasting them! "Do something!"

"You know it does not depend on me, Kagome." Cassiopeia shrugged apologetically. "It's on him."

"Then wake him up!"

She did.

Suddenly Sesshoumaru jolted up to all fours and started coughing his lungs out, which caused his skin to redden and eyes to water. In all her journey, she never saw Sesshoumaru even sighing, but now she was watching him cough, sweat, drool, breath… _'I'm watching him die…!'_ No! She won't let him! Kagome ran to his side and helped him regain his breath. "Swallow and breathe deeply – Just swallow to moist you throat and breath calm––" He covered her face with his hand and then pushed her aside carelessly.

Kagome landed on her behind and despite all her efforts not to blush because of Cassiopeia's giggling she felt her cheeks burn, but her eyes never left Sesshoumaru's. She was not offended by his (lack of) manners; Kagome knew how much pressure he must be under right now with death at his door, how frightened he must be… She could tell by the way he began swallowing and the way he forced himself to breath deeper and slower. How much scared must Sesshoumaru actually be to listen to her? Kagome crawled back to him and helped him up.

"Sesshoumaru… Please, understand", started looking pleadingly at him. "It's just three words!"

The taiyoukai swallowed again and licked his lips before glaring in her eyes and answering "I do not lie."

"You won't be lying and you KNOW that!" Kagome growled and stomp her foot like a teenager throwing a tantrum over a denied new dress. "You love me…"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "I will not repeat myself, Miko."

"Oh, don't even _think_ about evading this! Coward!" She was pacing around in order not to punch him and break her hand, but his pride and stubbornness were making it rather difficult. She pointed a finger at his face. "You kissed me!", she said triumphantly.

"I have kissed many before."

"But not after."

They stood there glaring at each other, the silence being the perfect and only soundtrack for that scenario until a giggle broke the tension. "It's more like _they_ kissed _you_, Taishou-sama." Cassiopeia said while jumping down the rock. She made her way to them and put her hand on Kagome's shoulder, smiling. Kagome knew that smile very well; she had given it many times before, especially in the feudal era. "I'll help you, Kagome."

It was like the weight of a bigorna was taken from her shoulders, even her breathing became easier. "How?"

"You'll see.", she tapped the girl's back and took a few steps aside. "You two have a few minutes to say good bye."

Say good bye? So, Sesshoumaru was still going to die? Kagome wanted an explanation, but felt like she hadn't the right to. Cass said she was going to help them and she had to trust her. She had no one else, after all. "I'll open a portal. It will send you to the place where you started and keep you untouched by time.", the star explained.

Kagome was about to ask what she meant, but surprisingly Sesshoumaru beat her to it. "What will you do exactly?", he panted.

The star shrugged. "I'll rewind time. However, I'll make sure Kagome remembers everything, so she can start wrapping you around her finger sooner.", she laughed when he growled, but didn't contradict it. "Now, bid your farewells while you still can, my children."

It was strange for Kagome. Would she never going to see this Sesshoumaru – the one that kissed her out of the blue, that took her to fly over the ocean, the one that almost killed her more times than her fingers can count, the one that finally forgave Inuyasha for being hanyou because of her simple words –, _never_ again? A lump formed in her throat and tears overflowed her eyes. She'd make him love her again, okay, but not with the same ways, same looks, same words… Hell, she had no clue of how to do that, how she made it. She raised her eyes to him. Sweat, breathless and pale than ever. "You could end all of this in one second, you know?"

Sesshoumaru looked away. Cold he may be, but this girl had made something in him change and now, he could not bear to see her sad. Sesshoumaru never lies, he evades, but not internally; never to himself. But he still had not been true with himself regarding this woman. He did not know what would happen with him if he did.

"At least give me something to hold on to, Sesshoumaru, please…" he heard her weep.

And that broke him. He fell to his knees, exhausted, and Kagome was already holding him. He took the chance to burn her scent into his memory – no, to his _soul_ –, so even when time rewinds he would remember her unique scent that he _loved_ so much… Sesshoumaru's eyes caught a glance of the skin of her shoulder and could see freckles there that he never noticed. Now that he had little time left, even her freckles were something he cherished. Inside of him, Sesshoumaru cherished her wholly, he cared for her, wanted her, he… Loved her. His eyes drifted shut. To finally let it free and flow through him was something so intense Sesshoumaru choked on his own breath, but the feeling was wonderful. He's always avoided those feeling, ignored them, and now that he finally acknowledged their existence, he did not seem capable to lock them up again. He felt all the urges he thought he could not feel: wanted to kiss her for hours, wanted to let all the world know she was his and his alone, wanted to spend every possible minute with her, and have pups, he wanted to see her dressed in purple, silver and gold; his colors. He wanted everything, even those new feelings. They were flowing through him free.

And it felt _good_.

"Willows.", the taiyoukai whispered.

"What?" Kagome knew his kind of favorite tree is the willow, but – what about it?

He coughed. "Make sure the first time I see you, you are under a willow."

"Okay, but… Why are you saying these things?" She wanted to cry. Kagome'd got to be strong for him, but it was beyond her capacity. He wasn't making any sense! "Tell me…"

Sesshoumaru clutched his stomach, feeling his insides as if they were melting. Breathing hard, he explained – gave her something to hold on to. "I want you to succeed."

Kagome gasped, shocked. Did he mean that… "I love you!" She threw her arms around him and smelled his godly scent of lightning storms. "So much!"

He felt bad, of course he did. But she had to understand. Sesshoumaru was widely known for his cold, ruthless, emotionless, cruel personality, superior skills and power; he was a taiyoukai. Since the second he was born, he was raised to be a warrior, a ruler, a Lord. Not a common male, one that could waste time loving someone. He grew up in a time, environment where everything was about war. Every inch of him screamed danger, rage and war… How could he even talk about love now?

Suddenly the whole clearing went white and the wind began rushing as though a tornado was forming. But it was the portal, sucking everything inside just like Miroku's kazaana. It was almost midnight. "Kagome, hurry!", Cassiopeia urged, raising her voice above the wind roar. "The portal won't be open forever!"

The girl pressed his body to her even more as tears rolled down her face to pool on his kimono. "Just say it… you just have to say it… please, don't make me do this – I don't even know how to make you love me!", she begged.

Sesshoumaru breathed deeply and put all his strength to keep his eyes open and keep breathing when all his body wanted to do was lay down and sleep. But he looked in her eyes for her to see what he was trying to convey. He traced the line of her jaw with shaking fingers. "You did it once.", he murmured. "You can do it again."

Kagome didn't have time to feel joy or despair, because as soon as he said those words, the portal wind pulled at her with such strength it was bizarre. She grabbed on his sleeves for dear life. "No! Stop! Sesshoumaru!"

The taiyoukai gathered energy and was able to move to take her wrist, but even the wind was stronger than him now. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold her for long, but he didn't want to let her go.

Ready to close, the portal sucked the hardest and Kagome was pulled into that wind tunnel, ripping the hem of his sleeve off.

Years from that moment she was sure she will remember what she saw before going unconscious. Sesshoumaru fell to the ground, wide eyes never leaving her, dead, but as his last movements, he stretched out his hand on the grass to her, and his lips said her name… And Kagome could only take so much. She fell and fell, leaving the most desperate scream to echo in the world.


	2. For the second time

**LOVE OR DIE**

**(Garota Inu)**

**2. For the second time.**

First time.

It's the only thing that is running inside Kagome's head: things that happens to people for the first time, like first time falling over, first time confessing, first time being confessed to, first time sleeping over, first time going out with friends, first kiss, first time taking a bus on your own, first time getting an F, first time getting an A+… Things can happen to one time and time again, but things can happen to one for the first time only _once_. For everyone! That's the damned logic! At least, it _should_ be. But not for her, no, _never_ for her. She is Kagome Higurashi, for God's sake! The girl who was born with a legendary jewel in her left side, the girl who has a dimensional portal in her front yard; the girl who can turn youkais into ashes with a touch, the girl who rather be five hundred years in the past, fighting to the death instead of the safety of her own era, studying to have a good life, the girl who has the heart to love a demon that hadn't got one… And here she is: at the bottom of the well with Mistress Centipede's arm serving as an indicator of exactly _when_ she is.

In the feudal era. For the first time.

Again.

Getting out of the well for the second first-time proves to be a lot easier than it was the first time. Finding her way to the Goshin Boku is as automatic as breathing. Too many times walking down that path made it so natural that Kagome is sure she could do it with her eyes closed. But years of feudal era could never prepare her for what she sees, when she pushes the last foliage out of her way.

Inuyasha's face. Without the all the stress of shard-and-Naraku hunting.

Maybe living with him every day for almost five years kept her from noticing the change, from noticing just how much stress Inuyasha actually went through. And now that she's noticed, Kagome sprints towards his body and crushes him in a protective hug, caressing his hair, his ears, breathing his godly, musky scent of pine mixed with vanilla; drinking Inuyasha in before he wakes up and starts calling her names and trying to rip her throat out.

For a moment, Kagome considers not freeing Inuyasha and going on the Kill-Naraku Journey on her own. He doesn't have the jewel – _she_ does –, so she could take him without big problems, right? Besides, that is the right thing to do, isn't it? That would prevent a lot of people from dying and it'd be EXTREMELY, unforgivably selfish of her if she doesn't kill him now just to have the journey as an excuse to solve her love issues… Besides, without Inuyasha, it'd be _sooo_ much easier, because she'd get more help from people than she would if she had a hanyou traveling along.

Yeah, a lot of things _would be_ a lot of somethings.

But she _is_ freeing Inuyasha.

Kagome smiles a little. Of course she's going to break the seal – God could kill her if she didn't –, but the miko just can't help but wonder: what if she doesn't? What would happen, what would not? It's something that makes one curious, dying to know, but it also is something Kagome'll never know. She caresses his ears and bangs. "I'd never do that to you.", she whispered. "But I won't stay here to be captured for those brutes again. You don't know but one of those sirs grabbed my butt. Thrice!"

Kagome goes to hide behind some bushes and crouches down at the same time the villagers appears from the trees. One of them glances at Inuyasha and halts, smirking. "Look at the bastard. – Serves him right.", he said.

The other three nod their head in agreement and one even spits on the ground. "That's for all the bad things he did to our village and for trying to steal the shikon."

"Fleabag.", one of them disdains. Kagome rolls her eyes. They probably weren't even born that time.

"Is he really unconscious?" The one who started the insult-the-hanyou party asks suddenly, and Kagome feels a chill on her back, not liking his tone.

"Kaede-sama says he's sleeping and dreaming, but not sure."

The brute chuckles. "Well, let's find out." He says and pulls a knife from his belt.

She knew it! _'Oh no, you won't!'_

Concentrating very hard, Kagome spreads a _huge_, _powerful_ and above it all, _threatening_ aura out to fill up the whole clearing. It won't harm them, but it'll scare the hell out of them!

The men's whole bodies tremble and the bastard with the knife falls on his butt, but they still don't go away. Grimacing from effort, Kagome intensifies the thing and even shakes the bushes a little to fool them and this time she gets results. Better ones than the expected, in fact: one of them dropped the bow that they used to shoot her the first time.

"That's for harassing me." Kagome picks up the bow. "I know you didn't now, but you would." Turning around to look at her hanyou soon-to-be-friend, Kagome decides she's taking advantage of her knowledge about the future and making things a bit easier for him. Where and when she can, of course, she can't risk ruining the future after all.

"Be right back, okay? – Going to kill a centipede."

And her old-Inuyasha wouldn't have believed if he saw how easy she killed it. It can't even be called a battle, just villain-talk, a dodge and a shot. And putting aside the talk being utterly boring, Kagome had to be thankful for it, for it made her think and have an epiphany; a very simple and refreshing one. There is no 'ruining the future'. The future she knows, she's not going back there. Time went back again. If she is to make things different it would affect nothing, no one would have his/her life changed.

Only her.

And, for that reason, Kagome is now at her bedroom, packing her huge yellow backpack before going back to wake Inuyasha up. _'Just because I was unprepared the first time doesn't mean I have to be now, right?'_

It was funny seeing her family four, almost five years younger. It's the same with Inuyasha: she hadn't noticed time touching their appearances, but now that she saw them, she was really surprised. Kagome catches a glimpse of her reflex in the mirror and freezes her movements at once, looking startled at the teenager girl in there. God, she didn't know she was _that_ thin and her hair _that _short… Kagome is used to her old self now, the one that has a little more muscles, more scars and long hair that cascades until her hips. She already misses her hair…

Finally deciding this is the wrong time to be musing about hairstyles, Kagome opens her jewelry box looking for a good and not-so-girly necklace. Since Kaede isn't going to be disturbed about a possible disguised female fox youkai today, Kagome is in a desperate need of a kotodama. Kaede taught her how to enchant one once and she only needs a necklace now.

'_Girly – Girly – Ugly – Small – Too simple – Girly – Gi–'_

She halts her hands at one in particular. Her favorite since childhood. It's not that large, but surely would fit in him. It's simple, but pretty. A simple three-string, black suede necklace that carries a tiny silver plate that reads LOVE in English. It was a gift from her father. He gave it to her when she was seven, right before traveling and dying. He'd said he had made it with the idea of, if her grandpa approved, making many others and putting them on sale, since people nowadays love English, and decided to give the first one to her.

He never gets to make a second.

Wiping away her tears, Kagome makes up her mind. It's going to be this one. She loves Inuyasha with her entire being; it's not girly or ugly; it'll fit in him; and she loves that idea of seeing her hanyou using it.

With everything she needs packed, Kagome darts downstairs and, promising a later explanation to her mother, jumps in the well. Soon the warm blue glow comes to welcome her back and take her five hundred years back in time. Can it be more abnormal? Any freakier? Yes, it sure can. But she _loved_ it.

Inuyasha's always pampered her in a certain way. Always carrying her on his back, never letting her feel cold at night, making sure there's always food for her, _always being there to help her up and out of the well_… Getting out of it will never be easy without him, but she managed and ran back to the ancient tree.

What she's supposed to do now is not difficult: Kagome just has to make everything easier for Inuyasha and make Sesshoumaru fall for her hard enough to confess, but there were always doubts – little and big ones. Should she let Kaede alone? Should she tell Inuyasha about the Jewel in her body? Should she let Kikyou be resurrected or rest forever? So many questions… But thinking better about it, without the shattering of the jewel lots of battles aren't going to happen or are going to be a lot easier. There'll be no Yura, no Tsukumo's toad, no Thunder Brothers, no super-powerful Naraku, so maybe Kikyou should keep resting––

Realization downs on her with such strength Kagome gasps. No Thunder Brothers means… She isn't going to meet Shippou. Just the thought made her eyes sting and silent tears run down her face. Her little kitsune… What should she do? "I don't want that…!", the girl sobbed. What would her days be like without that boy? She wondered. Kagome shook those thoughts away, willing away the sadness that threatens to overcome her. After all, she could find a way to meet with him. Yeah…

Kagome pushes the last bushes aside and how great is her surprise when she enters the clearing to find Inuyasha wide awake and trying to break free. He turns his flaming, troubled eyes to her and growls at her like never before. It's so strange the she has to swallow back a huge laugh, but in a situation like this all Kagome can think to say to him is pretty obvious.

"If you call me Kikyou, I'm sooo not pulling that arrow out…"


	3. What blooms between them

**LOVEOR DIE**

**(Garota Inu)**

**3. What blooms between them.**

"Who the fuck are you?"

"Polite as ever, huh?"

"Fuck you."

"Mouth!"

"Answer me!"

Kagome lets a struggled sigh out and even stamps her foot on the ground, but really, she couldn't be any happier. "Listen, I can release you from that seal – I _want_ to! But I won't until you calm down and listen to what I have to say." She tells him calmly. Inuyasha works like this: if you yell, he yells; if you speak calmly, he yells too, but at least he'd be less agitated.

"The fuck I will!", he yells.

See?

"Your loss." Kagome shrugs and sits down on the roots, her back to him, and picks a fiction book from her bag.

Anytime now…

Her concentration honors the book until past the first two lines. As always, she can never read or study while in the feudal era. There's so much to be done here, so much to look and explore and _think_…

She thinks of her life four hours ago; of how she ran, how she panted,of how she _ached_ for _him._ Even now, when she's a lot calmer to think more straightly, Kagome can't shake the feeling that even as he chased her with red eyes and homicide intentions, maddened by his despair, he still was holding himself back for her sake, because there is no way in this twisted world she can win him in a run, even if he's dying.

She thinks of her life nine hours ago; of how he looked under the sunset-orange light shining on him from behind while he stood watching her drawing on the damp sand; of how much warmth his eyes held at that time before the sun was set and of how that warmth vanished when excruciating pain jolted through him right after the moment the sun was set.

She thinks, she thinks, she thinks–

"Such a bitch, fine!" Inuyasha grants grumpily after a few minutes.

Oh, it's sooner than she thought. Kagome turns around and beams to him. "Thank you!", she sings, unsure if it's because of his cooperation or for the welcome distraction he is providing.

He rudely ignores her. "Whatever – Start talking. Who are you?"

"Well… you see…" To tell him everything now is not the best idea. It takes time and he might not believe her. Maybe she should start with the basics and save the complicated part for friendlier days. "I can't tell you everything right now because you won't understand, but I promise I will!" she adds quickly. "And… well… I am Kagome. Higurashi Kagome, and I'm from the, uh, future." Suddenly everything sounds so ridiculous…

Inuyasha scoffs. "Of course you are."

"Do you smell any lies?"

"Look, I've seen people betra–"

"I'm not her."

Inuyasha's eyes widen, but soon are narrowed again. "What the hell, wench?", he growls.

Kagome climbs up the roots until she's standing less than thirty centimeters from him. "I've told you already I am not Kikyou. – Human or youkai, I don't care."

"Sure, but hanyou–"

"All the better!" She cuts him off and smiles. "I would _never _betray you." Kagome looks in his eyes deeply, so he can see she is truthful and that he can trust her. She knows he wouldn't, though. Not so soon. "Since the day you were sealed it's been fifty years.", she started.

If he is shocked by the news or not, he doesn't let it show. "Why am I awake now? Kikyou would _never_ free me."

"Agreed.", Kagome nods. "But it was _me_ who woke you up – In my distress earlier I was crying over something and this made you gain back conscious again."

An annoying smirk shows on his lips and Kagome has force herself not to smile. "I doubt it – I don't even know your name."

Forget the smile. Kagome gaped. "I've just tol–"

"Don't remember.", he miko clenches her teeth and growls, but instead of threatening, he finds the attempt very endearing._ 'How cute, she growls.'_, he mocks, making a mental note to annoy her in a daily basis.

"It's Kagome. KA-GO-ME!"

"Whatever." He shrugs absently, too horrified with his too-fast acceptance about this girl tagging along.

"You ––!Ahh, so annoying! Maybe I'll just leave you here to starve and die!"

"You wouldn't!"

And Inuyasha is shocked when he realizes she really wouldn't. Her scent contradicts her words, indicating she's just saying it out of anger.

Who _is_ this woman?

"Please…" Her voice barely a whisper. "Believe me… You woke up from your sleep because of my smell of disturbance, but… Not really because of me, I…" She chews on her lower lip. To tell or not to tell? "IamKikyou'sreincarnation.", she finally blurts out.

And he snorts. "Now you're forcing it."

Kagome steps back, shocked to say the least. "What?! – Can't you see I'm just like her?"

"Are you crazy? Did you meet that bitch?" He rolls his eyes. "She'd _never_, not even in a billion years, thank me."

Kagome's stress instantly melts away when those words sink in and her eyes stings again. Of all the things she said since she found him awake her 'Thank you' is what moved him the most? He doesn't remember her name, but her 'Thank you' he does…?

"Inuyasha, I–"

"How the hell do you know my name?!"… She gives him the look. "What?"

"Are you serious? I know about your entire past," _And future, might I add._ "How long you've been sealed, am going to free you and you still worry about your name?"

"It's all that I have!"

Kagome grabs his face between her hands and shakes it a little. "Not anymore! You have me now – I will free you and be with you until I'm no longer needed! I promise..."

Look away is all he wants to do, but it's show her he was weak, which he isn't. Instead, he narrows his eyes and snarls on her face. "Take your stupid human hands off me, bitch."

Not happening. This way she has all his attention. "Kikyou died moments after sealing you, thinking you attacked her in te woods for the shikon, but it wasn't you."

"No shit!"

"Let me finish!", she scolds. "It was Naraku, a shape-shifter hanyou who wanted the shikon to turn into a youkai. And it wasn't her who shot those arrows at you, he did. – He set all this up to put you both against each other and to obtain the jewel." Gosh, she only hopes he's getting it right. "That's why I'm here: to help you find him and kill him.", she finishes in a sigh, as though telling him this was exhausting.

Inuyasha only looks at her while digesting what he just heard. Everything in him screams she's lying, but the fact is that she wasn't, because her scent can't get any more pure. But, seriously, "Why are you helping me? Telling me this, freeing me, willing to go on a journey – why are you doing this?", he demands.

The woman beams brightly to him and, taking something from the pocket of her whore-ish dressing, put it around his neck, tying it together on his nape. And right after, to his complete shock and horror, she kissed his nose. "Because we're friends!", she smiled.

"I don't have friends.", comes the automatic answer, but the hair on his neck stands on end.

"You have me. And soon will have others." He scoffs and she ignores it. "I'll release you now. _Don't_ kill me, okay?"

Inuyasha opens his mouth to answer, but it seems the girl doesn't need one, and even looks eager to free him, because before he could say a letter she wraps her fingers around the arrow.

But then he blinks and she's gone with a loud punching sound, arrow still through his heart. Inuyasha scans the clearing with his eyes and looks in time to see her hit the ground painfully. Surely she just broke some ribs; he could hear the _crack_. It's because of that that he gasps surprised out of his mind when he sees the girl raising from the ground to her hands and knees, coughing and choking when she sees Mistress Centipede there.

"What?" Kagome breathes. "Didn't I kill you a few hours ago?"

The centipede tilted its head to the side, chuckling. "Me? one of my countless stupid siblings, but not me. You'd never be able to."

It's strange, Kagome thinks, that her reaction to the situation is give a low laugh. This is not something to laugh at. She just broke something and she's spitting a little blood. Laugh is the last thing she should be doing. "Funny. The other one told me the same thing before I killed it."

The monster snickers darkly. "Shut the big talk, yaain'even have arrows!", it mocks.

"And I won't need the bow, either." Kagome says calmly while standing, clutching her side. "You may attack first."

Kagome notices the demon's eyes steal a glance to Inuyasha for a split second and horror gets a hold of her. "STOP!", she shrieksin complete despair as she stretches her arm as if it would be of any help. She's in pain, she wouldn't move fast enough, but in the end, it isn't necessary, for around Inuyasha a pinkish barrier is protecting him. Kagome's eyes travel from her outstretched hand to the barrier and back again, unsure if it is really her doing. Although she's tried before, Kagome seems to never be able to form a barrier that is not to protect her.

"Touch him…" Kagome growls through her teeth, piercing the monster with her blazing blue eyes. "I dare you to."

Inuyasha understands that the centipede is a weakling, but that skin-and-bones girl can't be much either. To fight without a weapon is suicide for her, he thinks as he watches the centipede hiss and bare its ugly teeth angrily at the woman. Her words have put him on edge, making him rack his brain for a possible reason to why the hell she wants him alive, but he never finds one. A loud hiss snaps him out of his muses to the battle before him and his eyes go wide when he sees the centipede launching towards the girl, its intention being clearly when the insect touches its target, the girl jerks a little but the centipede disappears. Simply vanishes. _'What the fuck?!'_Shock isn't able to describe what he feels. Inuyasha opens his mouth several times to ask what happened, but then he notices the mount of ashes at her feet and it is answer enough.

He looks startled at her. "A miko? You're a miko too?!", he yells at her and Kagome has to suppress the urge tofacepalm herself. She'sforgotten how clueless Inuyasha is in the beginning.

"As you can see." She limps back to him with difficulty. It seems that more than just her ribs are broken, but she'll look at it later. "So…", she begins when she's before him again. "Can I really trust you are not going to kill me?"

Inuyasha snarls. "I could ask the same thing, _miko_."

And, _oh_ so childish… "I could never defeat you. – You are too strong for me.", she smiles. It's true, after all.

Inuyasha's eyes go wide for a moment or two before he averts them from hers and grumbles "I don't have reasons to kill you so get me outta here already."

She did.


	4. It might go better the second time

**LOVEOR DIE**

**(Garota Inu)**

**4. It might go better in the second time.**

_Sluuuuurp_

"… need to search for the Thunder Brothers first and then we should–" No, it's better to take a break at this part, because it's new moon right after finding Shippou. "We should take a break at my place, I need to–"

_Slur – sluuuuuuuuuuuurrrp_

"– study too." She doesn't, really – since she's already learned all of that and has taken all those tests – but it's a good excuse, though.

_Sluuuuuuurrp!_

"All riiiight!", she explodes, pausing her back-and-forth pacing. "I'm not giving you noodles _ever_ again!"

"No fair! I'm just hungry!"

"I know! After fifty years without eating _of course_ you'd be! And that's why I bought ten cups only for you!" Kagome points at the growing pile of empty Cup Noodles cups.

"But –"

"_BUT!_ Now you're eating _my_ share, too! For the whole week!"

"It's because it's _too good_!" _Sluuurp._ "You cook really nice!"

Kagome looks shocked at him. Why is he being nice? He isn't supposed to be nice to her like this until his first new moon with her, praising her scent. And more, even after being best friends, Inuyasha never talked good about her cooking skills, always preferring instant noodles to her home-made food.

Should she tell him the truth about the mysteries of adding hot water and waiting three minutes?

Naah… "Thank you, Inuyasha.", she beams to him.

And just like every time she does, he looks away and murmurs "Keh!". Desperately wanting to change the subject, the hanyou tosses the empty cup in her trash bag – when he tosses garbage on the ground that midget uses to get really angry – and stands from his seat. "So… Let's search for the bastard.", he says.

"What?! – Did you listen to anything I was saying?"

"Nope."

Oh, the nerve…! "I said," Kagome growls. "We must stay here in the village for now."

"Why?"

Kagome blinks, surprised by the lack of screams and curses from him, but doesn't show it. Usually Inuyasha doesn't ask why, either he says no or he grumpily gives up trying saying no. And in the beginning it was even worse, because he always said no. Why is he different this time? Realizing she has yet to give him an answer, Kagome quickly puts these thoughts aside for later. "Ah, well, uh… I already told you: someone is looking for you."

"Who?"

"The flea.", she reveals. "Myouga."

Inuyasha's face becomes less relaxed and he takes a few steps towards her to stare closely in her eyes. "You know too much for a stranger, you know."

"well, maybe…" Kagome discreetly gulps. "Maybe that's because I'm… not a stranger?"

Inuyasha narrows his eyes and quirks his brow. "What do you mean, wench?"

"I mean exactly what I said." she starts, taking a step back for the sake of breathing easily. "I'm not a stranger."

Inuyasha almost thinks that she's definitely out of her mind, but before he can begin to mentally snicker at her craziness her scent fills his nose and he goes quiet again. Not even a little spark of a lie or uncertainty. He can trust her if based on his instincts, but if based on his past experiences, Inuyasha should definitely kill her right in the spot.

"I know it's all confusing to you and sounds doubtful, but please, bear with it a little longer – I'll tell you everything as soon as you're ready."

The hanyou pierces her with gold a second longer than normal and finally says "Whatever. But one strange move and I'll kill you, got that?", he threatened.

Kagome feels body shiver. It's been so long since she last heard Inuyasha's killer voice, since she last needed to worry while in his presence. It feels so strange her head spins.

"When is he going to get here?", Inuyasha suddenly asks.

And she's caught off guard. "Uhh…" first is that garasu bird who possessed that corpse, then comes Yura and the next morning Myouga shows up to break the news and at night… - her heart skips a beat – comes Sesshoumaru. "The day after tomorrow, I think."

"What?!", he barks. "You want to sit and do nothing for two whole days?!"

"Well, we wo–"

"No way in hell!"

"Listen to me!" Kagome shrieks as she reaches her limits. She's not used to this Inuyasha anymore. "We won't do _nothing_, don't be silly."

"Oh, yeah? What will we do, then?", he dared.

Kagome picked up her towel, bikini and soap, and then smiled. "Bath?"

**x-•°•°•-x**

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Why do you say that?"

"Are you seriously asking me to bath in the same spring as you?"

"I guess?"

"Stop joking around!"

"I'm not! I really don't get why you're making such a big deal about it." Actually, she does. He thinks since he's hanyou she should be disgusted by him. But the fact is that she wasn't, is not and never will be. "You stop being ridiculous and get in already!"

Inuyasha breathed hard, having problems believing a girl is willing to share a bath in a spring with another man. Bah, scratch that. With _a hanyou_._'I knew it, she's a whore.'_, he can tell by her calmness while showing her … "It's improper in so many ways."

The woman turns to smirk at him. "And since when do you care?"

Good how the bitch seemed to know him…

Shrugging the worries away, he starts stripping. Kagome knows by experience that Inuyasha wouldn't agree to wear the pair of shorts she bought for him a long time ago – or should she say a long time later? –, so since it can't be helped (and since she still hasn't bought the shorts yet), Kagome looks away and waits for the sound of moving water.

"So… where were you trained?", she hears him ask.

Tilting her head to the side, she hums. "I wasn't."

Inuyasha gapes at her. "You lie."

"I don't.", she giggles. "I really wasn't."

"It's impossible to turn a youkai to ashes without any training. It takes years to do that!", he argues.

"Well… You can say that I took years to learn that." It's been three years since she started her journey, after all. "It's just that I had to train during fights.", she explained. "No one really taught me."

Inuyasha lifted his brows surprised. "No one ever taught you?"

The girl shrugs. "Some tips here and there, but no real training. – Why so surprised?" When she finally looks at him, Kagome mentally jumps. Why was he making such a face? Biting his bottom lip and eyes the size of saucers. Is he pitying her? No, she concludes. Because he never had someone to teach him things, either. He's being compassionate to her… "Hey, now, don't you dare fee–– AHH!"

A bird closes its claws around her shoulders and flies away in a blink, rendering the hanyou confused for a second. "Hey! Give her back!" She hears Inuyasha shouting in the distance. She can try to fry the damn thing just like she did the centipede, but she's so high up in the air and Inuyasha is so far to catch her that it's not a good idea. She'll have to wait–

Gravity suddenly greets her again and she is falling. The trees are coming up fast to meet her and Kagome can't say what she dreads most: the impact with the ground…

Or the déjà vu of falling endlessly after being ripped from someone she loves.

Well, she'll find out soon.

**x-•°•°•-x**

Was that girl bathed in gold when she was born by any chance? It's ridiculous! Why do youkais want her so much?

Inuyasha runs as fast as his legs can take him. He can't lose her, can't let her die. That girl has answers to his questions and _boy_, she's gonna answer them. He'll make sure of that. Besides…

'_We're friends.'_

'_You have me.'_

Apparently, she thinks he's her friend. He unconsciously speeds up.

Smelling the air, tracking her scent, Inuyasha turns left to follow the faint trace of the woman's aroma and sees a hut surrounded by tones of trees._ 'Found ya.'_

Inuyasha doesn't bother using the door, choosing to burst into the shack through the wall to find that damn chicken beaking and tearing the unconscious woman's skin."Bastard!", he barks, running for the bird and with only two of his claws the chicken is gone. Really… As easy as it's disappointing.

Inuyasha crouches next to the girl and twists his nose at the awkward – and surely uncomfortable – position her right leg and arm are curved. Broken, he decides. And not to mention her nudity state. The barely-there thing she's wearing left so absurdly little for him to imagine. He blushes; that is, not that he would ever want to imagine her naked, no way. "Stupid wench.", he doesn't know why the hell she hasn't already killed the thing since it's weaker than the centipede, but he can ask her later.

He catches her bride-style and thinks of taking her back to the spring to clean her wounds; they are deep, but they aren't many, not enough to make her lose her consciousness, then why is she out? Why hasn't she killed the bird in the first place? He thought she was strong! Her show back at the Goshin Boku left him gaping, his body hair standing on end – where's all that strength now? Just because of some beaks? Is she that weak?

But the answers for these questions come crashing down on his head the moment he notices the worryingly large puddle of blood that pools right where her head was lying seconds ago. Slightly gulping, Inuyasha looks up only to find a huge hole in the ceiling. "Fuck."

'_The fucking bird dropped her. She fell – she fucking fell!'_, he curses as he runs for her life towards the spring.

Inuyasha jumps high above the trees and dashed forwards in her in light speed, only stopping when he's right above the spring to finally let himself fall with the girl into the water. He washes all the blood away from her head and body and lays her on her stomach on the ground outside the spring. Dripping wet, he stands on all fours above the unconscious miko, takes a deep breath, pushes her hair aside and licks the injury, letting his saliva do the work of healing her wounds. Inuyasha licks it for minutes that feel like hours and when he judges the work done he carefully turns her on her back; golden eyes traveling all of the feminine face for some sign of consciousness, but nothing. He presses his ear to her chest – just to be sure – and sighs when her heartbeat is heard before adjusting himself to treat her other might have saved her, but now that she's drenched and soon it'd be dark and cold he'd better build up a fire.

Can't have his 'friend' dying on him.

**x-•°•°•-x**

_She buries her hands in his stupidly long hair as she kisses his harder, trying to convey all her feelings and how crazily she's missed him through that kiss. And the proof of her success comes when he growls agitatedly and tightened his grip on her tights, pulling her closer and breaking the kiss for a moment just to lay her down on his bed, and Kagome takes the chance to admire his face, to drink in his beauty. She's missed him so much that a single tear rolled down. "I missed you…", she whispers, her words heavy with emotion. "I love you, Sesshoumaru…"_

"_What…?", he murmurs, his voice uncharacteristically filled with shock._

_She giggles then repeats "I love you."_

"_No, you don't!" His tone was strange; his manner terribly uncharacteristic._

_Her brows furrow in confusion. "Of course I do."_

"_Now, wake up."_

"_Wha–"_

"Wake up!"

Inuyasha's voice booms in the cave and thunders in her head like mountain-sized bells. She tries moving her hands so she can grasp her head , but her muscles pulse in pain and she gives up the idea with a painful groan. "Wher – am I?", she croaks.

"In a cave." Inuyasha shoots. "The damn bird beaked you all over and some bites got infected. Now you're burning up."

Oh… "Where are Miroku and Sango?", Kagome asks. She's taught them how to treat infections, they could help him.

"Who?" Is she delirious yet?

"Our… f-friends.", she breathes erratically.

"Get a hold of ya'self.", he warned in a clipped tone. "Already told you that I have no friends. – Now stop talking." He doesn't like the way her breathing is getting faster.

"I-I…", she pants. "I'm your friend, Inuyasha… You know I'll never leave you…", the girl mumbles to him, suddenly getting calmer by the second. "How could I?"

Inuyasha tries to resist that useless talk – she's completely out of it, after all. He fails, though. Watching her toss and turn and sweat and moan is making him nervous and he decides it's better if he keep her awake. "The same way you did fifty years ago.", he answers; eyes fixed on her closed ones.

Her brows furrow. "I didn- no, I didn't … please, I'm… not her."

He knows that. "Whatever, just shut up and sleep, will ya? You'll probably be better in the morning and won't remember a thing.", he shrugs.

"I'm not her.", Kagome breaths. "I didn't lie…"

Inuyasha sighs. "I said whate–"

"I promised you I'll stay by your side…"

"No, you didn't – Are you cr–"

"I… love you."

…

… This word. This hateful word is the key to everything that is worst in him; to unlock all his rage. And unlock all his rage it does. His face goes all blank at once as the recently cracked rock that covers his heart surrounds it again as its beats pulse harder and bitter. He hates that word the most; no matter who says it, it's an ugly lie. The person is a lie, everything around that word is a cruel lie.

And now, Kagome is a lie too.


End file.
